The present invention relates generally to a web printing process and more particularly to a method and device for printing a web and folding and assembling the printed web into printed products.
Conventional web printing presses generally print a web of paper in a printing press, the web then being fed directly from the printing press through a drier to a folder. The web is then folded and cut in a folder connected to the printing press so as to form signatures, which may be stored and later collected in a bindery with other signatures to form a final printed product. Folders are complicated and often are the speed limiting component of the printing press.
One known printing process not requiring a folder is roll-to-roll printing. Roll-to-roll printing occurs when a web of material wound in a roll is unwound and printed in a printing process and then wound to a finishing roll. Roll-to-roll printing is known for example to prepare wallpaper, which does not require a folding or assembly process. The rolled and printed wallpaper may then be cut manually to size.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,122 purports to disclose an apparatus for manufacturing paper rolls using width-wise control of a web material. The apparatus has a bar structure having resiliently bendable beam means for effecting a primary bowed adjustment. A set of side-by-side independent but cooperative wrap area members are carried by the beam means and are adapted to be individually selectively adjustable relative to the beam means to effect secondary adjustments. A slitter divides a web passing through the device longitudinally into strips.
The '122 patent does not disclose any printing device for printing a web, and is not related to printing processes. Prior to the slitting, no printing is performed on the web.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,707 purports to disclose a web-fed rotary printing machine having a plurality of directly adjacent printing units arranged in-line. Below the printing units are winding devices for holding float-mounted winding rolls, which can be used either as a winding device or an unwinding device. The winding rolls accept a printed web of material. A first winding device 15 is used as an unwinding device, so that a web to be printed is unwound from the winding roll and runs through the printing units. The printed web is then guided by a web edge control device to a last winding device 18, where the printed web is wound. Two other winding devices can serve as winding-up devices. The apparatus further provides a roll storage device and conveyance system that operatively connects the roll storage device with the winding device. A folder is arranged downstream of the printing units, in a web-feed direction. A dryer is included after the printing to dry the printed material.
The method and device of the '707 patent has the disadvantage that the wound-up rolls are full width. The device is thus limited in the combination of images and types of products which may be assembled. Assembly of different sections to form a final product is complicated and limited.